Call for Submissions From Muslim-Identified LGBTQ People of Color

When we ponder the concepts of religion and queerness, what images and issues come to mind?

In discussions involving religion and LGBT issues for QPOC, the focus in mainstream media has almost always been on Christian families, churches, and communities, and the degree to which they are homophobic or transphobic. If we hear anything about queer Muslims, it’s sensationalized e.g. a viral link about a gay Iranian man being sentenced to death, or the number of lashes you’d receive for being a “practicing homosexual” in Muslim countries.

But when do we ever hear from queer Muslims themselves, about their everyday lives, about their hardships and triumphs, their families and their lovers–or, simply, what keeps them centered, devout, inspired?

Here at QWOC Media Wire, we want to hear from LGBTQI people of color, diaspora, and other ethnic/racial minorities who identify as Muslim and/or were raised practicing Islam.

Whether you’re a Muslim born into an Uygher family, are a convert from another religion, identify as a queer Muslim from an African country, were raised Muslim but identify as spiritual etc. — whatever the case may be — we want you to be able to share, in your own words, your experiences and thoughts on religion, culture, sexuality, and everyday life.

Additionally, if you practice another religion, faith, and/or spirituality that you feel isn’t as readily discussed in public forums, such as Hinduism or Sikhism, Wicca, African Traditional Religions, Baha’i etc. we would love to hear from you as well!

IMPORTANT: Please keep in mind, the purpose of this call for submissions is not to get into a religious discussion; we don’t want to debate religion, we want to hear about how many of us reconcile the various parts of our identities as diaspora, sexual minorities, and spiritual/religious people. We want to create a space where people can share their experiences, not defend them.

Submissions can be in the form of prose, poetry, a stream of consciousness, a rant, an ode, or any other form of media. What’s most important is that it reflects you, your words, your lives.

Here are some examples of LGBTQI women of color and gender non-conforming folks we’d like to hear from:

Muslims who grew up in the global south

Muslim feminists who also identify as queer women of color

People who were raised in Muslim families but converted, or don’t “practice”

People who practice religion/spirituality outside of Islam and Christianity e.g. African, Buddhism, Hinduism

Do you identify as a QPOC and a convert to Islam?

Do you identify as another religion that has not been focused on in queer media, such as Hinduism or Buddhism?

Interested?

Please email us at submissions@qwocmediawire.com with your name, nationality, religion, how you identity racially/ethnically/culturally, your sexual orientation/gender identity (if you wish), and what kind of piece you’d like to submit (or are submitting!)

If you do not want to submit a formal piece, but still would like to tell your story/share your thoughts:

We are putting together a composite piece with anecdotes from around the world! Tell us a funny story, or a difficulty that you had with a friend. How do other QPOC react to you identifying as Muslim/Hindu/Sikh? What did your family say when (if) you came out? Do you have trouble meeting other Muslims who identify as QPOC? How do you feel about anti-religion rhetoric when it comes to advocating for LGBT rights?

I am a Muslim, autistic, physically disabled, feminist, sissy lesbro. I would like to have a conversation about polygamous families (Muslim or otherwise) as the creation and negotiation of “safe spaces”, speaking from the perspective of both a feminine-identified heterosexual male adult and the disappointed seven-year-old boy who knew even back then there had to be a better way of being people together. I’ve heard more than enough dismissive jokes to fill a lifetime, so keep them to yourselves. I want to understand the honest opinions, concerns, and desires of others (female, male, queer, straight, anyone) who can at least admit that maybe the kid from “About a Boy” was on to something. I would also like to explore the legal aspects of plural marriage, from the standpoint of Quranic jurisprudence, justice and family law, and contemporary marriage equality debates. Does it matter that I’m white?

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